For some students, the FutureStars talent competition is a way of saying goodbye—to high school; to Ann Arbor; to their friends.

To others, it’s a nerve-wracking challenge: auditioning with a song or a dance on stage in front of a large crowd.

But for all, the pressure of the biggest talent competition in Ann Arbor for high school students can’t top the sheer harmony of working together.

In its 12th season, the FutureStars 2014 high school talent show will present its finals competition 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Pioneer High School’s Schreiber Auditorium.

Twenty-two acts were selected to be a part of the show from the first rounds of performances last weekend, where 45 students from all of Ann Arbor’s public high schools sang and danced. Students performed multiple songs—some in duets and group numbers, others solo—in the first round.

About 1,500 tickets have been sold in the 1,700-seat auditorium for the Saturday performance so far. Susan Hurwitz, producer of the Pioneer Theatre Guild that puts on the FutureStars show, said about 200 tickets would be available for sale at the door Saturday night.

Tickets are $10 and are also available at showtix4u.com. Revenue goes to the guild to support its productions.

Here are the top three acts from each first round show determined by the judges and audience applause that will be performing Saturday:

Olivia Roumel, 17, is a senior at Pioneer and is entering her third FutureStars finals show this Saturday.

“I felt energized after every show,” Roumel said. “The winning isn’t really emphasized. It’s unique for a high school competition and rare that all the high schools come together.”

As a vocal performer, Roumel is seeking to enter her top pick—the Berklee College of Music for vocal jazz in Boston—to hone her talent this fall.

“I don’t know what else I’d do,” Roumel said.

Lexxus Glaze, 17, is a junior and one of three Huron High School students in FutureStars.

Glaze’s love of singing has brought her to FutureStars for the first time this year.

Watching musicals and singing in church choirs whetted her appetite for more. While she’s taken some of the more basic music and theater classes Huron offers, Glaze said she was looking for more.

“I wanted the challenge (of FutureStars),” Glaze said. “Though I do want to make it to the finals, it’s all worth it if I don’t because I did something new.”

Though Glaze entered the competition not knowing many of the other 45 cast members involved, she said it hasn’t been intimidating.

“Everyone’s so supportive of each other,” Glaze said. “It doesn’t feel like more of a competition so much.”

Glaze had one of 10 performances specially chosen by the directors to be in Saturday’s finals show. She will sing her solo act of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” by The Supremes.

Though the FutureStars competition pits talented Ann Arbor high school students against each other, for the performers themselves the experience is anything but competitive.

“A little part of me is about getting into (the finals),” said Robbie Stephens, 18, a senior at Community High. “I’m a competitive person. But I really enjoy dancing in front of people and getting people’s feedback. …There’s no tension between anyone. It’s a great opportunity to be in a show. Everyone just enjoys being together.”

“It’s my senior year and I’m planning on moving out of the country for college; I’m kind of saying goodbye, in a way,” Stephens said.

He plans to move to Amsterdam and is seeking to attend the School of New Dance Development at the Amsterdam School of the Arts.

Not every student in FutureStars is seeking a career in the performing arts—like Pioneer senior Thad Stalmack II, age 18.

This is his first year with FutureStars—something he said he wanted to do because it’s his last year at the school. Next fall Stalmack is looking to enter art school to pursue his real passion, graphic illustration.